Street sign and refilector therefor



June 8, 1948. s. E. GRAMER STREET SIGN AND REFLECTOR THEREFOR Filed May 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

by GER/WEI]? June 8, 1948. s. E. GRAMER 2,442,807

STREET SIGN AND REFLECTOR THEREFOR Fil ed May 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 40 35 k w- A I h INVENTOR. Gan/16R Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STREET SIGN AND REFLECTOR THEREFOR Stella E. Gramer, Los- Angeles, Calif.

Application May 3, 1944, Serial No. 533,881

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates generally to street signs of the particular type that are mounted on street lighting standards and the principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of street signs, particularly those having means for reflecting light rays onto the panels or plates bearing the names and numbers of streets, and further, to provide simple, practical, inexpensive and convenient means for mounting the street names bearing panels and reflectors on the lighting standards adjacent the lighting lamps and globes carried thereby. A further object of my invention is, to provide simple and eflicient means, including readily assembled brackets and fixtures, for mounting from one to four or more street names or panels and reflector bearing plates on a street lighting standard, thus enabling the signs to be used at points where streets intersect, also at points between the intersections, or where one street does not intersect, but leads from another street.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the center of a street sign of my improved construction and showing same positioned on a lighting standard.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line of Hg- 1.

Fig. 3 is vertical section similar to Fig. 1 and showing a modified form of sign.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section similar to Figs. 1 and 3 and showing a further modified form of the street sign.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a form of sign adapted for the form of lighting standard having two light globes.

Fig. 7 is an elevational View of the upper portion of the standard seen in Fig. 6 with parts shown in vertical cross section.

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of panel and reflector mounting block that are used in the form of sign shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing a further modified form of the street light sign and refiector.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, l designates 2 a street lighting standard and H the conventional glass globe, containing a source of light, usually an electric lamp.

The sign and reflector support in this case, in-

- cludes a ring I2 of metal, plastics or the like which encircles the upper portion of the standard and bears on arcuate slips l3 which rest on said standard, thus enabling said ring to be applied to, or removed from said standard, after the light globe has been removed therefrom. I

It is to be under-stood that the upper portion of the standard I0 tapers gradually toward its upper end and thus the ring l2 automatically clamps itself by gravity onto said standard.

This form of sign, to be used at street intersections, has four arms l4 projecting outwardly, ninety degrees apart andsecured to the outer ends of said arms are the ends of channel plates l5, open at both ends and adapted to receive plates l6 of metal, glass, plastics or the like and which bear the names or numbers of streets on their outer faces.

The lower ends of arms I! are adjustably connected by means of screw or bolt and slot connections [8 to the ends of arms 14 which arms I! project upwardly and outwardly above the end portions of plates l5 and carried by the upper ends of these arms 11 are inclined plates 19 of metal, glass or the like having reflecting inner faces.

Reflector plates 19 are disposed above and outwardly from plates 16 and thus, the rays of light from the source within globe H will be reflected onto the faces of plates It to illuminate same.

If desired, matter or information of interest to vehicle drivers or pedestrians may be applied to the outer faces of the reflector plates.

Thus, the reflecting surfaces of members 19 will, when the lamp within globe H is lighted, reflect light rays onto the faces of panels 1.6 so as to enable the street names or numbers appearing on said panels to be observed and read from considerable distances.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 a ring 20 formed in two or more parts is removably mounted on the upper portion of the light standard and projecting outwardly from the upper portion of said ring is a flange 2 l. Secured to ring 20 are separately formed horizontally disposed brackets or arms 22 and secured to the ends thereof and disposed of ninety degrees apart are horizontally disposed channel plates 23 in which are removably positioned street name or number bearing panels 24. Adjustably mounted on flange 2|, by means of slot and pin or bolt connections 25, are outwardly extending pairs of arms 26 and carried by the outer ends of each pair, is a plate or panel 21 which is curved vertically so as to provide a concave reflecting inner surface 28.

Thus when properly mounted and adjusted on the standard, light rays from the source of light on the standard will be reflected directly onto the outer faces of the plates or panels 24.

In Fig. I have shown a construction wherein a pair of strap brackets 29 are mounted on the standard and secured to the outer ends of said brackets are two channeled L-shaped members 30, with each leg or portion thereof carrying a plate or panel 3|, bearing on its outer face the name or number of a street.

Brackets 32 secured to the end portions of members 30, project outwardly and upwardly from said members 30 and carry on their upper ends, arcuate members 33 provided on their inner faces with reflecting surfaces and said members 33 being curved or inclined vertically so as to reflect light rays from the lamp of the standard downwardly onto the faces of members 3|.

In this construction, the reflectors 33 are arranged so that each one illuminates two of the panels 3| carried by members 30.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the light standard 34 has similar arms 35 diverging from its upper end with each arm carrying a lamp containing globe 36.

Mounted on the outer ends of arms 35 are strap brackets 31 to the ends of which are mounted blocks 38 and 39.

Block 38 is provided on the upper portion of its inner face with an inclined slot 40 and on the lower portion of the same face with a vertical slot 4|.

Block 39 is provided with two vertically disposed side faces 42 arranged ninety degrees apart.

Formed on the upper portion of each face 42 is an inclined slot 43 and a vertically disposed slot 44 to the lower portion of said face.

Blocks 3B and 39 are arranged on the brackets 31 so that the slots 43 in blocks 42 are complementary to slots 40 in blocks 38 and slots 44 are complementary to slots 4|.

The ends of a panel 45 hearing on its outer face the names or numbers of streets, are seated in slots 4| and 44, and the ends of an inclined member 48 having an inner reflecting surface, are seated in slots 40 and 43, such arrangement being effective in reflecting light rays from the lamps of the standard, directly onto the outer face of panel 45, thus accomplishing the desired results.

In Fig. 10, I have shown a light globe 59 suspended by means of a tube, rod or cable 5| and depending from the latter and surrounding said globe, is a skeleton frame 52 of wire or the like, which carries street name bearing panels 53 and reflectors 54, the latter disposed so as to direct light rays onto said panels.

To impart long life or periods of service to my improved street sign, the parts thereof should be produced from non-rusting materials, or any parts necessarily formed of metal, should be treated or seated so as to render them rust proof.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a street sign which is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture, capable of being readily assembled and mounted on street lamp standards and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved street sign and reflector may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a lighting standard and a lamp mounted on the upper portion of said standard of a ring mounted on said standard below said lamp, a plurality of pairs of arms secured to said ring and projecting outwardly therefrom, a street name panel, carried by each pair of arms, a horizontally disposed flange integral with and projecting outwardly from the upper portion of said ring, a second pair of arms having their inner ends mounted for radial adjustment on top of said flange, which arms extend outwardly above and beyond said street name panels and inclined reflectors carried by the outer ends of said adjustable arms for reflecting light rays from said lamp onto the faces of said street panels.

2. The combination with a, lighting standard and a lamp mounted on top thereof, of a ring detachably mounted on the upper portion of said standard below said lamp, a plurality of pairs of separately formed arms projecting outwardly from said ring, a street name panel carried by each pair of arms, a horizontally disposed flange in tegral with and projecting outwardly from the upper portion of said ring, pairs of lugs projecting upwardly from said flange, a second pair of outwardly projecting arms having their inner ends adjustably connected to said lugs, which arms are disposed above and extend outwardly from said street name panels, and reflectors carried by the outer ends of said adjustable arms.

STELLA E. GRAMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 486,324 Clay Nov. 15, 1892 530,497 Baker Dec. 11, 1894 549,053 Blow Oct. 29, 1895 820,369 Shaw May 8, 1906 877,362 Nicolay Jan. 21', 1908 1,643,552 Gatchell Sept.27, 1927 1,684,470 Butler Sept. 18, 1928 1,716,214 Ducker et al June 4, 1929 1,736,437 Gatchell Nov. 19, 1929 1,766,119 Gebauer June 24, 1930 1,777,734 Reynolds Oct. 7, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 249,222 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1926 

